Chapter 20 - Heredity

When Jane realized that she was being borne away a captive
by the strange forest creature who had rescued her from
the clutches of the ape she struggled desperately to escape,
but the strong arms that held her as easily as though she
had been but a day-old babe only pressed a little more tightly.

So presently she gave up the futile effort and lay quietly,
looking through half-closed lids at the faces of the man who
strode easily through the tangled undergrowth with her.

The face above her was one of extraordinary beauty.

A perfect type of the strongly masculine, unmarred by
dissipation, or brutal or degrading passions. For, though Tarzan
of the Apes was a killer of men and of beasts, he killed as the
hunter kills, dispassionately, except on those rare occasions
when he had killed for hate--though not the brooding, malevolent
hate which marks the features of its own with hideous lines.

When Tarzan killed he more often smiled than scowled,
and smiles are the foundation of beauty.

One thing the girl had noticed particularly when she had
seen Tarzan rushing upon Terkoz--the vivid scarlet band
upon his forehead, from above the left eye to the scalp; but
now as she scanned his features she noticed that it was gone,
and only a thin white line marked the spot where it had been.

As she lay more quietly in his arms Tarzan slightly relaxed
his grip upon her.

Once he looked down into her eyes and smiled, and the
girl had to close her own to shut out the vision of that
handsome, winning face.

Presently Tarzan took to the trees, and Jane, wondering
that she felt no fear, began to realize that in many respects
she had never felt more secure in her whole life than now as
she lay in the arms of this strong, wild creature, being borne,
God alone knew where or to what fate, deeper and deeper
into the savage fastness of the untamed forest.

When, with closed eyes, she commenced to speculate upon
the future, and terrifying fears were conjured by a vivid
imagination, she had but to raise her lids and look upon that
noble face so close to hers to dissipate the last remnant of
apprehension.

No, he could never harm her; of that she was convinced
when she translated the fine features and the frank, brave
eyes above her into the chivalry which they proclaimed.

On and on they went through what seemed to Jane a solid
mass of verdure, yet ever there appeared to open before this
forest god a passage, as by magic, which closed behind them
as they passed.

Scarce a branch scraped against her, yet above and below,
before and behind, the view presented naught but a solid
mass of inextricably interwoven branches and creepers.

As Tarzan moved steadily onward his mind was occupied
with many strange and new thoughts. Here was a problem
the like of which he had never encountered, and he felt
rather than reasoned that he must meet it as a man and not
as an ape.

The free movement through the middle terrace, which was the
route he had followed for the most part, had helped to cool
the ardor of the first fierce passion of his new found love.

Now he discovered himself speculating upon the fate
which would have fallen to the girl had he not rescued her
from Terkoz.

He knew why the ape had not killed her, and he commenced
to compare his intentions with those of Terkoz.

True, it was the order of the jungle for the male to take his
mate by force; but could Tarzan be guided by the laws of the
beasts? Was not Tarzan a Man? But what did men do? He
was puzzled; for he did not know.

He wished that he might ask the girl, and then it came to
him that she had already answered him in the futile struggle
she had made to escape and to repulse him.

But now they had come to their destination, and Tarzan of
the Apes with Jane in his strong arms, swung lightly to the
turf of the arena where the great apes held their councils
and danced the wild orgy of the Dum-Dum.

Though they had come many miles, it was still but
midafternoon, and the amphitheater was bathed in the half
light which filtered through the maze of encircling foliage.

The green turf looked soft and cool and inviting. The myriad
noises of the jungle seemed far distant and hushed to a
mere echo of blurred sounds, rising and falling like the surf
upon a remote shore.

A feeling of dreamy peacefulness stole over Jane as she
sank down upon the grass where Tarzan had placed her, and
as she looked up at his great figure towering above her, there
was added a strange sense of perfect security.

As she watched him from beneath half-closed lids, Tarzan
crossed the little circular clearing toward the trees upon the
further side. She noted the graceful majesty of his carriage,
the perfect symmetry of his magnificent figure and the poise
of his well-shaped head upon his broad shoulders.

What a perfect creature! There could be naught of cruelty
or baseness beneath that godlike exterior. Never, she thought
had such a man strode the earth since God created the first in
his own image.

With a bound Tarzan sprang into the trees and disappeared.
Jane wondered where he had gone. Had he left her
there to her fate in the lonely jungle?

She glanced nervously about. Every vine and bush seemed but the
lurking-place of some huge and horrible beast waiting to bury
gleaming fangs into her soft flesh. Every sound she magnified
into the stealthy creeping of a sinuous and malignant body.

How different now that he had left her!

For a few minutes that seemed hours to the frightened girl,
she sat with tense nerves waiting for the spring of the
crouching thing that was to end her misery of apprehension.

She almost prayed for the cruel teeth that would give her
unconsciousness and surcease from the agony of fear.

She heard a sudden, slight sound behind her. With a cry
she sprang to her feet and turned to face her end.

There stood Tarzan, his arms filled with ripe and luscious fruit.

Jane reeled and would have fallen, had not Tarzan, dropping
his burden, caught her in his arms. She did not lose
consciousness, but she clung tightly to him, shuddering and
trembling like a frightened deer.

Tarzan of the Apes stroked her soft hair and tried to comfort
and quiet her as Kala had him, when, as a little ape, he had
been frightened by Sabor, the lioness, or Histah, the snake.

Once he pressed his lips lightly upon her forehead, and she
did not move, but closed her eyes and sighed.

She could not analyze her feelings, nor did she wish to attempt
it. She was satisfied to feel the safety of those strong
arms, and to leave her future to fate; for the last few hours
had taught her to trust this strange wild creature of the forest
as she would have trusted but few of the men of her acquaintance.

As she thought of the strangeness of it, there commenced
to dawn upon her the realization that she had, possibly,
learned something else which she had never really known
before--love. She wondered and then she smiled.

And still smiling, she pushed Tarzan gently away; and
looking at him with a half-smiling, half-quizzical expression
that made her face wholly entrancing, she pointed to the fruit
upon the ground, and seated herself upon the edge of the
earthen drum of the anthropoids, for hunger was asserting itself.

Tarzan quickly gathered up the fruit, and, bringing it, laid
it at her feet; and then he, too, sat upon the drum beside her,
and with his knife opened and prepared the various fruits for
her meal.

Together and in silence they ate, occasionally stealing sly
glances at one another, until finally Jane broke into a merry
laugh in which Tarzan joined.

"I wish you spoke English," said the girl.

Tarzan shook his head, and an expression of wistful and
pathetic longing sobered his laughing eyes.

Then Jane tried speaking to him in French, and then in
German; but she had to laugh at her own blundering attempt
at the latter tongue.

"Anyway," she said to him in English, "you understand my
German as well as they did in Berlin."

Tarzan had long since reached a decision as to what his
future procedure should be. He had had time to recollect all
that he had read of the ways of men and women in the books
at the cabin. He would act as he imagined the men in the
books would have acted were they in his place.

Again he rose and went into the trees, but first he tried to
explain by means of signs that he would return shortly, and
he did so well that Jane understood and was not afraid when
he had gone.

Only a feeling of loneliness came over her and she watched
the point where he had disappeared, with longing eyes, awaiting
his return. As before, she was appraised of his presence
by a soft sound behind her, and turned to see him coming
across the turf with a great armful of branches.

Then he went back again into the jungle and in a few minutes
reappeared with a quantity of soft grasses and ferns.

Two more trips he made until he had quite a pile of material
at hand.

Then he spread the ferns and grasses upon the ground in a
soft flat bed, and above it leaned many branches together so
that they met a few feet over its center. Upon these he spread
layers of huge leaves of the great elephant's ear, and with
more branches and more leaves he closed one end of the little
shelter he had built.

Then they sat down together again upon the edge of the
drum and tried to talk by signs.

The magnificent diamond locket which hung about Tarzan's
neck, had been a source of much wonderment to Jane.
She pointed to it now, and Tarzan removed it and handed the
pretty bauble to her.

She saw that it was the work of a skilled artisan and that
the diamonds were of great brilliancy and superbly set, but
the cutting of them denoted that they were of a former day.
She noticed too that the locket opened, and, pressing the
hidden clasp, she saw the two halves spring apart to reveal in
either section an ivory miniature.

One was of a beautiful woman and the other might have
been a likeness of the man who sat beside her, except for a
subtle difference of expression that was scarcely definable.

She looked up at Tarzan to find him leaning toward her
gazing on the miniatures with an expression of astonishment.
He reached out his hand for the locket and took it away
from her, examining the likenesses within with unmistakable
signs of surprise and new interest. His manner clearly
denoted that he had never before seen them, nor imagined that
the locket opened.

This fact caused Jane to indulge in further speculation, and
it taxed her imagination to picture how this beautiful ornament
came into the possession of a wild and savage creature
of the unexplored jungles of Africa.

Still more wonderful was how it contained the likeness of
one who might be a brother, or, more likely, the father of
this woodland demi-god who was even ignorant of the fact
that the locket opened.

Tarzan was still gazing with fixity at the two faces.
Presently he removed the quiver from his shoulder, and
emptying the arrows upon the ground reached into the bottom of
the bag-like receptacle and drew forth a flat object wrapped
in many soft leaves and tied with bits of long grass.

Carefully he unwrapped it, removing layer after layer of
leaves until at length he held a photograph in his hand.

Pointing to the miniature of the man within the locket he
handed the photograph to Jane, holding the open locket beside it.

The photograph only served to puzzle the girl still more, for
it was evidently another likeness of the same man whose picture
rested in the locket beside that of the beautiful young woman.

Tarzan was looking at her with an expression of puzzled
bewilderment in his eyes as she glanced up at him. He
seemed to be framing a question with his lips.

The girl pointed to the photograph and then to the miniature
and then to him, as though to indicate that she thought
the likenesses were of him, but he only shook his head, and
then shrugging his great shoulders, he took the photograph
from her and having carefully rewrapped it, placed it again
in the bottom of his quiver.

For a few moments he sat in silence, his eyes bent upon
the ground, while Jane held the little locket in her hand,
turning it over and over in an endeavor to find some further
clue that might lead to the identity of its original owner.

At length a simple explanation occurred to her.

The locket had belonged to Lord Greystoke, and the
likenesses were of himself and Lady Alice.

This wild creature had simply found it in the cabin by the beach.
How stupid of her not to have thought of that solution before.

But to account for the strange likeness between Lord
Greystoke and this forest god--that was quite beyond her,
and it is not strange that she could not imagine that this
naked savage was indeed an English nobleman.

At length Tarzan looked up to watch the girl as she examined
the locket. He could not fathom the meaning of the
faces within, but he could read the interest and fascination
upon the face of the live young creature by his side.

She noticed that he was watching her and thinking that he
wished his ornament again she held it out to him. He took it
from her and taking the chain in his two hands he placed it
about her neck, smiling at her expression of surprise at his
unexpected gift.

Jane shook her head vehemently and would have removed the
golden links from about her throat, but Tarzan would not let
her. Taking her hands in his, when she insisted upon it, he
held them tightly to prevent her.

At last she desisted and with a little laugh raised the locket
to her lips.

Tarzan did not know precisely what she meant, but he
guessed correctly that it was her way of acknowledging the
gift, and so he rose, and taking the locket in his hand,
stooped gravely like some courtier of old, and pressed his
lips upon it where hers had rested.

It was a stately and gallant little compliment performed
with the grace and dignity of utter unconsciousness of self.
It was the hall-mark of his aristocratic birth, the natural
outcropping of many generations of fine breeding, an hereditary
instinct of graciousness which a lifetime of uncouth and savage
training and environment could not eradicate.

It was growing dark now, and so they ate again of the fruit
which was both food and drink for them; then Tarzan rose,
and leading Jane to the little bower he had erected, motioned
her to go within.

For the first time in hours a feeling of fear swept over her,
and Tarzan felt her draw away as though shrinking from him.

Contact with this girl for half a day had left a very diferent
Tarzan from the one on whom the morning's sun had risen.

Now, in every fiber of his being, heredity spoke louder
than training.

He had not in one swift transition become a polished
gentleman from a savage ape-man, but at last the instincts
of the former predominated, and over all was the desire to
please the woman he loved, and to appear well in her eyes.

So Tarzan of the Apes did the only thing he knew to assure
Jane of her safety. He removed his hunting knife from its
sheath and handed it to her hilt first, again motioning her
into the bower.

The girl understood, and taking the long knife she entered
and lay down upon the soft grasses while Tarzan of the Apes
stretched himself upon the ground across the entrance.

And thus the rising sun found them in the morning.

When Jane awoke, she did not at first recall the strange
events of the preceding day, and so she wondered at her odd
surroundings--the little leafy bower, the soft grasses of her
bed, the unfamiliar prospect from the opening at her feet.

Slowly the circumstances of her position crept one by one
into her mind. And then a great wonderment arose in her
heart--a mighty wave of thankfulness and gratitude that
though she had been in such terrible danger, yet she was unharmed.

She moved to the entrance of the shelter to look for Tarzan.
He was gone; but this time no fear assailed her for she
knew that he would return.

In the grass at the entrance to her bower she saw the imprint
of his body where he had lain all night to guard her.
She knew that the fact that he had been there was all that
had permitted her to sleep in such peaceful security.

With him near, who could entertain fear? She wondered if
there was another man on earth with whom a girl could feel
so safe in the heart of this savage African jungle. Even the
lions and panthers had no fears for her now.

She looked up to see his lithe form drop softly from a
near-by tree. As he caught her eyes upon him his face lighted
with that frank and radiant smile that had won her confidence
the day before.

As he approached her Jane's heart beat faster and her eyes
brightened as they had never done before at the approach of any man.

He had again been gathering fruit and this he laid at the
entrance of her bower. Once more they sat down together to eat.

Jane commenced to wonder what his plans were. Would he
take her back to the beach or would he keep her here?
Suddenly she realized that the matter did not seem to
give her much concern. Could it be that she did not care!

She began to comprehend, also, that she was entirely contented
sitting here by the side of this smiling giant eating delicious
fruit in a sylvan paradise far within the remote depths of
an African jungle--that she was contented and very happy.

She could not understand it. Her reason told her that she
should be torn by wild anxieties, weighted by dread fears,
cast down by gloomy forebodings; but instead, her heart was
singing and she was smiling into the answering face of the
man beside her.

When they had finished their breakfast Tarzan went to her
bower and recovered his knife. The girl had entirely forgotten
it. She realized that it was because she had forgotten the
fear that prompted her to accept it.

Motioning her to follow, Tarzan walked toward the trees
at the edge of the arena, and taking her in one strong arm
swung to the branches above.

The girl knew that he was taking her back to her people, and
she could not understand the sudden feeling of loneliness
and sorrow which crept over her.

For hours they swung slowly along.

Tarzan of the Apes did not hurry. He tried to draw out the
sweet pleasure of that journey with those dear arms about his
neck as long as possible, and so he went far south of the direct
route to the beach.

Several times they halted for brief rests, which Tarzan did
not need, and at noon they stopped for an hour at a little
brook, where they quenched their thirst, and ate.

So it was nearly sunset when they came to the clearing, and
Tarzan, dropping to the ground beside a great tree, parted
the tall jungle grass and pointed out the little cabin to her.

She took him by the hand to lead him to it, that she might
tell her father that this man had saved her from death and
worse than death, that he had watched over her as carefully
as a mother might have done.

But again the timidity of the wild thing in the face of
human habitation swept over Tarzan of the Apes. He drew
back, shaking his head.

The girl came close to him, looking up with pleading eyes.
Somehow she could not bear the thought of his going back
into the terrible jungle alone.

Still he shook his head, and finally he drew her to him very
gently and stooped to kiss her, but first he looked into her
eyes and waited to learn if she were pleased, or if she would
repulse him.

Just an instant the girl hesitated, and then she realized the
truth, and throwing her arms about his neck she drew his
face to hers and kissed him--unashamed.

"I love you--I love you," she murmured.

From far in the distance came the faint sound of many
guns. Tarzan and Jane raised their heads.

From the cabin came Mr. Philander and Esmeralda.

From where Tarzan and the girl stood they could not see
the two vessels lying at anchor in the harbor.

Tarzan pointed toward the sounds, touched his breast and
pointed again. She understood. He was going, and something
told her that it was because he thought her people were in danger.

Again he kissed her.

"Come back to me," she whispered. "I shall wait for you--always."

He was gone--and Jane turned to walk across the clearing
to the cabin.

Mr. Philander was the first to see her. It was dusk and Mr.
Philander was very near sighted.

"Quickly, Esmeralda!" he cried. "Let us seek safety within;
it is a lioness. Bless me!"

Esmeralda did not bother to verify Mr. Philander's vision.
His tone was enough. She was within the cabin and had
slammed and bolted the door before he had finished pronouncing
her name. The "Bless me" was startled out of Mr. Philander
by the discovery that Esmeralda, in the exuberance
of her haste, had fastened him upon the same side of the
door as was the close-approaching lioness.

He beat furiously upon the heavy portal.

"Esmeralda! Esmeralda!" he shrieked. "Let me in. I am
being devoured by a lion."

Esmeralda thought that the noise upon the door was made
by the lioness in her attempts to pursue her, so, after her
custom, she fainted.

Mr. Philander cast a frightened glance behind him.

Horrors! The thing was quite close now. He tried to
scramble up the side of the cabin, and succeeded in
catching a fleeting hold upon the thatched roof.

For a moment he hung there, clawing with his feet like a
cat on a clothesline, but presently a piece of the thatch came
away, and Mr. Philander, preceding it, was precipitated upon
his back.

At the instant he fell a remarkable item of natural history
leaped to his mind. If one feigns death lions and lionesses are
supposed to ignore one, according to Mr. Philander's faulty memory.

So Mr. Philander lay as he had fallen, frozen into the horrid
semblance of death. As his arms and legs had been extended
stiffly upward as he came to earth upon his back the
attitude of death was anything but impressive.

Jane had been watching his antics in mild-eyed surprise.
Now she laughed--a little choking gurgle of a laugh; but it
was enough. Mr. Philander rolled over upon his side and
peered about. At length he discovered her.

"Jane!" he cried. "Jane Porter. Bless me!"

He scrambled to his feet and rushed toward her. He could
not believe that it was she, and alive.

"Bless me!" Where did you come from? Where in the world
have you been? How--"

"Mercy, Mr. Philander," interrupted the girl, "I can never
remember so many questions."

"Well, well," said Mr. Philander. "Bless me! I am so filled
with surprise and exuberant delight at seeing you safe and
well again that I scarcely know what I am saying, really. But
come, tell me all that has happened to you."